Folding bath-tub



(N0 ModeL) A. THROGKMORTON.

FOLDING BATH TUB.

No. 314,752. Patented Mar. 31,1885.

ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. THBOOKMORTON, OF SIDNEY, OHIO.

FOLDING BATH-TUB FJIPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 314,752, dated March 31, 1885.

Applicati n filed August 15, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN A. THROOKMOR- TON, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Sidney, in the county of Shelby and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Bath-Tubs, of which the following is a description.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bath tub disposed for use. Fig.2 is a view of the same folded, looking at it from the side of the tub; and Fig. 3 is a detail View of the form of joint employed in the frame.

My invention relates to bath-tubs having a folding frame with a rubber or water-proof bag or receptacle. My object is to provide abath-tub of this class which may be folded with the greatest convenience and compactness, by which it may be easily reduced to the limits of a trunk for ready transportation, or compactly stored away under the bed or in a closet or corner of a room, and one in which the hinging action of the folding frame shall not involve any tearing strain or rap ture of the water-proof bag. These objects are attained inthe structure which I will now proceed to describe.

A represents the rubber bag or other flexible waterproof receptacle, which is of an elongated rectangular shape, and which at its upper edge isformed with a deep hem or tubular margin, a, in which is contained the folding rectangular marginal frame B B, &c., made of metal. This frame is composed of two rigid end pieces, B B, and two side pieces, each of which is composed of five sections, B, B, B B and B, which are fastened together by knuckle-joints b, of the kind which are used in carriagetop braces, which joints are so disposed that they will bend up, but will not bend down. At the ends of the side pieces there are legs 0, one at each corner, which have aknuckle-jointed connection that allow them to fold inwardly parallel with the end pieces, but will not allow them to move outwardly beyond the perpendicular. These legs sustain the marginal frame and with it the upper edge of the water-proof bag, which latter lies upon the floor, and is relieved of all the strain of its contents, except the lateral 5o pressure. The middle sections, B of the sides are from four to sixinches in length only, and the sections B are longer than the end sections, B.

In folding the tub the legs 0 are folded inwardly in direction transverse to the tub and parallel with the end pieces, B, then the ends B B are folded underneath B B and, finally, B and B are folded through an arc of ninety degrees, and occupy a position at right angles to the middle section, B, which is of just sufficient length to accommodate the thickness of the iniolded ends of the bag and the sections B B of the frame, and leave the sections B B 'parallel, when folded, as shown in Fig. 2. By this construction it will be seen that the greatest dimensions of the tub are reduced when folded to the length of the sections B which permits the tub to be gotten within a trunk or stowed compactly away in a room, while the middle, section, B by rendering it necessary only to fold the tub at this point through an arc of ninety degrees, avoids the strain on the flexible bag, and obviates the tearing of the same at the joints. This construction of tub is very convenient for the use of travelers and others who have not the facilities of a bath-room, and also for invalids. It may be filled by buckets or by a hose, and in emptying it a siphontube will be found to be most convenient.

I am aware that bathtubs composed of a folding frame anda flexible bag have been heretofore constructed, and I therefore only claim the combination, with the flexible bag having a hem at its upper edge, of the peculiarly-constructed frame each of whose side pieces is made of the five jointed sections, in which the middle section, B", is of a length about equal to the lateral thickness of the other four sections, B B B B, when folded, as shown in Fig. 2. This secures greater advantages of compactness without producing a damaging strain on the rubber bagby the folding of the frame.

posed parallel to the endtsection of the frame,

and which. frame has side sections, each of signed by me in the presence of two subscribwhich is-composed of five jointed pieces, B ing witnesses. I B", B B and B of which 13 is about equal JOHN A. THROGKMORTON.

5 in length to the'thickness of the other four XVitnesses:

sections B B B B when folded, substan- EDWD. W. BYRN, tially as described. SOLON O. KEMON.

The above specification of my invention 

